Worth visiting as part of a round of other tops

Climbed Aganny Top on Saturday 22 May 2010 as the second hill in a round that also included Arroo Mt, Agalateeve and Keeloges. (For first part of the route see my comments on Arroo Mt.) The walk out to Aganny Top from Arroo Mt is some 3km through, around and over a series of small peat hagged tops, some with a cairn. On the day we were there it was fine and clear so route finding was not a problem. However in poor visability it would be very easy to become disoriented and use of map and compass, backed up by a GPS, would be essential. From the top of Arroo Mt we made our way S to a cairn on a small rise overlooking Lough Arroo O (G83647 50768) and then around the W (right) side of the Lough. Having noted a standing stone marked on the OSI map and, as it was more or less en route, we sought it out at D (G83938 50070) before heading for Lough Aganny and Aganny Top (Pt 482). Along the way we came upon a surprise find, a fully completed millstone lying undisturbed where it had been fashioned out of the rock yet there was no apparent evidence of any quarrying in the area P (G84448 49040). A little further on at F (G84477 49032), on a raised area, was a very substantial cairn above and to the N of Lough Aganny with Aganny Top still some 300metres away on raised ground to the S across the small Lough. Strangely the spot height indicating the summit (Pt 482) is not marked by a cairn G (G84450 48751) and is completly nondescript and undistinguished in any way. Indeed looking back across the Lough to the large cairn it appeared to stand on a higher elevation than Pt 482 but perhaps this is an illusion caused by the presence of the large cairn. While we were on Pt 482 a walker came to the large cairn and, without a second glance in our direction, proceeded on his/her way clearly satisfied that the cairn marked the top of the hill. From Pt 482 we also walked a little further S to yet another small cairn at Q (G84644 48448). From this hill there are splendid views W across the long flat topped Aghalateeve to Truskmore and Tievebaun and S to the knobbly ridge of the Castegal Mountains. From here we then headed down a heathered covered slope in search of our next objective Aghalateeve. I suspect that given its location Aganny Top is a hill that not many people will seek out and climb in its own right. However it is well worth a visit as part of a round which includes some other tops. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/507/comment/5840/

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Bang on Top

Aganny Top is bang in the middle of a wonderful plateau surrounded by steep escarpments and deep glens.
It is not too much of a stretch to complete a walk over this plateau and its 5 separate summits, which is what I did of course!

Starting from St Michaels church (R (G803 503)) and making use of the copius parking, a steep ascent brought the summit of Keeloges and stunning views across Gleanade to the neighbouring plateau with Truskmore and Tievebaun. A significant drop and reascent brings Arroo with more stunning views across Donegal Bay to the mighty Slieve League and the Bluestacks.

But back to Aganny Top.....drop from Arroo and follow the plateau as it undulates on good ground of short heather and stone, with peat hags in the shallower ground. Pass a little cairn and the remains of an old comms mast and a small unnamed lough below. A rise brings a cairn and are suddenly introduced to Arroo Lough, a beautiful and peaceful setting with shelter from a keen wind and the sound of water gently lapping. The odd fat bumblebee passing as walked the shore to cross a fence by way of a stile. Another cairn sits on a rise beyond the lough.

Followed a stream for a short time and walked easily through big peat hags to reach a beehive cairn just before Lough Aganny. As i sat in lee of the cairn in warm sun, watching the sparkling waters of the lough and the clouds getting smaller and smaller from the greyness of the morn, my eyes roved N to Arroo, Bluestacks, Slieve League rising out of the Atlantic...W to the upper halves of Tievebaun and Truskmore, the Ox Mtns and around to the Briefne Hills and the Sperrins beyond.

Another cairn lies beyond the lough and eyes seek out the drop and rise to Agow Top in the distance. A final cairn signals the drop off Aganny with lovely views over Lough Nabrack within a sea of brown. That was where i headed............ Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/507/comment/14911/

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